Summer 2025 Transfer Window

[wokinginashearerwonderland]

17 hours ago, Panda said:

Just watched some highlights of Bilalovic. Definitely a bit raw but very similar to Morris. A game changer at the 80-minute mark I'd say.

 

This chart is the sort of thing that gives me the fear about modern day football.  It was what people took the piss out of Ian Cathro for at Hearts.  I mean, it's great that this lad had 92 shots in the box in the Swedish league but what the hell does that actually mean in terms of whether he is any good and can adapt to the Scottish game?

You could probably look at the stats from our game last Monday and make the argument that it was a pretty even game but with the benefit of having actually watched it, there was only one team ever going to win that game.  The stats don't tell you if the guy has any hunger, desire, fight, commitment to the cause, nastiness, basic character.  He might be great against a low block, fantastic during the transitions and wonderful as an ACM but will he have any fight if we are 2-0 down at Fir Park or will he just be asking to be subbed off?

I really hope we are actually watching these boys that we are signing rather than just looking at stats and a couple of youtube clips.  

  

[RicoS321]

1 hour ago, wokinginashearerwonderland said:

This chart is the sort of thing that gives me the fear about modern day football.  It was what people took the piss out of Ian Cathro for at Hearts.  I mean, it's great that this lad had 92 shots in the box in the Swedish league but what the hell does that actually mean in terms of whether he is any good and can adapt to the Scottish game?

You could probably look at the stats from our game last Monday and make the argument that it was a pretty even game but with the benefit of having actually watched it, there was only one team ever going to win that game.  The stats don't tell you if the guy has any hunger, desire, fight, commitment to the cause, nastiness, basic character.  He might be great against a low block, fantastic during the transitions and wonderful as an ACM but will he have any fight if we are 2-0 down at Fir Park or will he just be asking to be subbed off?

I really hope we are actually watching these boys that we are signing rather than just looking at stats and a couple of youtube clips.  

  

It's an interesting subject. In terms of a player's character, that is of little use if the player isn't up to it anyway. A good example would be Nilsen at the weekend. A guy who clearly has desire and nastiness, who after he was done at around 60 minutes, resorted to taking it out on the opposition and was lucky not to be red carded. At 2-0 down at Fir park, he's just as likely to get sent off as drag us back into the game. Will data about athleticism, shots etc trump character? Maybe in some cases. Yengi maybe has decent stats (I don't know), but he's clearly a player devoid of confidence who looks like he might struggle to turn that around. Confidence doesn't necessarily transport well either - the big fish in a small pond effect. 

I guess scouting is just a difficult job, whether you're watching or at a PC. McInnes watched Miles fucking Storey, Calvin Zola and Greg Tansey. You have to be able to translate those one or two glimpses of a player into how he'll fit into your team in your league. I guess, used properly, what data and videos should allow you to do is get a picture of a player over a whole season or more, and it should allow you quantity (more players scouted). 

Success is so difficult to measure either way, though. We should be aiming at a 60% return in the transfer market. I don't think there's much evidence to suggest that data - in our case - has either guaranteed that, or improved on it. It may have returned us larger fees for players, but probably not, I think the overall market was increasing in terms of fees paid anyway. The biggest factor for me, should be the independence of the scouting department from the management team, and maybe data helps with that. We seem to be ceding control back to the manager increasingly. I'd love to hear how the club actually measures its success. It's basically impossible, because you can measure the players you signed, but I suspect nobody is measuring the players that we missed. 

Anyway, I think your overall point is one of feeling if I'm not mistaken. It feels shite. Similar to the foreign players thing I guess. And the boring players and their boring interviews. And identifying as a selling club. It feels a little soulless. Football has transitioned to the domain of the professional managerial class. Total control from the office. A world of Tony fucking Blooms. For all his faults, at least Cormack is a fitba fan. I let myself get bought into it too, of course, it's difficult to resist. It's a mirror of the world. AI scouts are on their way. Owned by the big clubs and rented out to their franchisees. 

 

[wee toon red]

Another absolutely random link, to a Hungarian 20yo Csanad Vilmos Denes. Described as an "attacker" or "right winger/striker". Another "project" (Jesus, I hate that word's prevalence in the current football lexicon).

Unless someone - Shady Mo? - is away I don't see that being a position we need to spend another few hundred thousand on.

Edited Thursday at 15:24 by wee toon red

[BigAl]

Bilalovic currently at Cormack Park completing his medical

Source is SSN.

Also stories doing the rounds from Hungary that we have had an initial bid for Denes rejected by his club but we are epxected to go back with an increased offer for him.

[BigAl]

Bilalovic on a FIVE year deal 

Signed sealed and delivered

[Panda]

1 hour ago, wee toon red said:

Another absolutely random link, to a Hungarian 20yo Csanad Vilmos Denes. Described as an "attacker" or "right winger/striker". Another "project" (Jesus, I hate that word's prevalence in the current football lexicon).

Has a very good scoring record though (for his age/position) and very highly rated; the talk is one of the Old Firm are actually tracking him, so would be a bit of a coup to get him ahead of whoever it is.

As much as we all love Shayden Morris - the beautiful cup winning bastard he is - I think we've all said we need to upgrade on him if we want to progress and this guy looks the business. 

Edited Thursday at 16:28 by Panda

[wee toon red]

Absolutely agree that we need to upgrade shady mo but this guy and Milanovic competing for starts will be interesting. Much like with centre backs, you can’t have too much of a good thing but itll Be tough to keep four young wingers happy.

[RicoS321]

43 minutes ago, BigAl said:

Bilalovic on a FIVE year deal 

Signed sealed and delivered

Five years gives him plenty of time to go through the journey from shite, to pity, to works hard, to we always knew he'd be good, to injured before leaving for a pittance with six months left on his deal.

[BigAl]

51 minutes ago, BigAl said:

Bilalovic on a FIVE year deal 

Signed sealed and delivered

Hate quoting myself BUT have we ever previously given any player a five year deal 

[OxfordDon]

With all these projects, we're going to have quite the team in four years time  

[OrlandoDon]

Good to see some rumors today, plus p&j reporting we have a sell on of 20% for mccrorie. If he goes for a reported £3m that pays for today’s newbie! Seems like there’s a bunch positive feedback regarding the Hungarian lad too, interesting!

[manc_don]

7 hours ago, BigAl said:

Hate quoting myself BUT have we ever previously given any player a five year deal 

yes, McKenna I believe, not long before he bolted?

[RicoS321]

6 hours ago, manc_don said:

yes, McKenna I believe, not long before he bolted?

I was going to suggest McKenna, but couldn't be arsed checking. He did indeed sign until 2023, in 2018. Can't think of anyone else though. Think Besuijen was 4.5 years from memory. 

[manc_don]

8 minutes ago, RicoS321 said:

I was going to suggest McKenna, but couldn't be arsed checking. He did indeed sign until 2023, in 2018. Can't think of anyone else though. Think Besuijen was 4.5 years from memory. 

Aye, remembered vinnie being on a long deal but couldn’t remember if it was longer than 4, makes his failure all the more frustrating.

[wee toon red]

Five year deals are becoming more common amongst the big clubs so that they can amortise the transfer fees over a longer period and reduce their financial fair play liabilities. If it didn't start with Chelsea they were certainly the first ones to make it prominent. It was inevitable that it would "catch on" up here eventually, either for the same reason or just because it's the fashion.

[Panda]

21 hours ago, Panda said:

Has a very good scoring record though (for his age/position) and very highly rated; the talk is one of the Old Firm are actually tracking him, so would be a bit of a coup to get him ahead of whoever it is.

As much as we all love Shayden Morris - the beautiful cup winning bastard he is - I think we've all said we need to upgrade on him if we want to progress and this guy looks the business. 

Ignore all the above. I was probably drunk. The boy is rubbish.

Totally unrelated...

[BigAl]

Anthony Joseph reporting we have sold Rubi to a Polish team.

Always thought he came across as a pretty decent guy that wanted to do well.

I wish him every success with the rest of his career 

[RicoS321]

1 minute ago, BigAl said:

Anthony Joseph reporting we have sold Rubi to a Polish team.

Always thought he came across as a pretty decent guy that wanted to do well.

I wish him every success with the rest of his career 

Aye, seemed nice. He has a lot of good attributes, he could be a really good defender in a few years time. Better than Ash Taylor maybe.

[Jute]

I think mistake we made was pairing him another inexperienced centre back last season. Set the lad back. I still think with right coaching there is a good centre back in there. 
 

[manc_don]

Gutted to see him go and as you say jute, we fucked his dons career by pairing him with Malloy rather than someone experienced. There’s a player there and you can’t buy that sort of desire and passion. But ultimately it is for the best, hope he goes on to have a stellar career.

[DantheDon]

51 minutes ago, Jute said:

I think mistake we made was pairing him another inexperienced centre back last season. Set the lad back. I still think with right coaching there is a good centre back in there. 
 

I think it would have been interesting to see how he did with Knoester alongside him. But we have too many center backs now so someone’s got to move on, good luck to him. 

[Slim]

I saw him as someone like Ryan Porteous or an XL Bully. You can invest a lot of time and effort into training them to function normally most of the time but you’ll never remove that instinct to go radge when under pressure, usually at the worst possible time.

[manc_don]

According to an Italian Sky sport reporter on Twitter, lazetic is due in Aberdeen tomorrow to have a medical. Free transfer but sell on of 50% depending on appearances (I.e starts at 20%) and increases accordingly.